If you are relying on strength, it means your technique is bad. My sifu told me that and he's the real deal.

I remember when John Allen from the Green Dragon School made the comment in an Inside Kung Fu article, that with all other factors being equal, the bigger man will defeat the smaller man.

From the shrill outrage that followed it, you'd have thought he'd advocated kicking puppies as a training method.

7/02/2013 10:18am,

legomepanda

To be honest, the only reason I kept coming back to Bullshido was the advice in the PT forum. It's the reason I started lifting to begin with. Thank you Bullshido. Thank you for the knee-jerk "Starting Strength or Stronglifts" reaction to every question about strength. I'm not a ***** any more.

Well, I'm not small any more.

7/02/2013 10:39am,

Phrost

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chili Pepper

I remember when John Allen from the Green Dragon School made the comment in an Inside Kung Fu article, that with all other factors being equal, the bigger man will defeat the smaller man.

From the shrill outrage that followed it, you'd have thought he'd advocated kicking puppies as a training method.

That's because a significant portion of people who train in Martial Arts do so because they're unathletic, awkward, and weak and looking to make up for it (or live out the fantasy that they did); everyone else played Football, etc.. It's only been recently, due largely to MMA, that naturally athletic/strong people have gotten involved in the Martial Arts in large numbers.

But you don't compensate for weakness by ignoring it; you attack it directly.

7/02/2013 12:02pm,

Bezmond

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phrost

That's because a significant portion of people who train in Martial Arts do so because they're unathletic, awkward, and weak and looking to make up for it (or live out the fantasy that they did); everyone else played Football, etc.. It's only been recently, due largely to MMA, that naturally athletic/strong people have gotten involved in the Martial Arts in large numbers.

The best martial artists I have trained with also had physically demanding jobs. At my old karate club, the toughest guy there was a roofer. My sifu drives a truck and humps stuff round all day. They might not be doing any specific strength training but they sure as hell are stronger than some desk jockey who trains a couple of times per week.

I need to do strength training to compensate for my sissy job teaching kids to paint.

7/02/2013 12:07pm,

Phrost

Yet, they could be stronger if they squirreled away 45 minutes, 3 days a week...

You're right that people who sit on their asses all day in the air conditioning should go above and beyond to catch up to those who have physically demanding jobs. But everyone should be taking advantage of every opportunity to get stronger, especially martial artists.

7/02/2013 12:46pm,

crappler

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mister

Look I think no matter how big you get you will only be inflexible and slow if you don't train your speed, conditioning, explosiveness and flexibility, and you only lift weights.

The notion that "being bulky" is bad for you is ridiculous, come on it's not Y2K anymore.

Muscle is good.

there is absolutely a delicate balance between muscle size and speed. That is why MMA fighters look the way they do and don't look like Mr. Universe. My krotty teacher always used to tell a story about how you never hit someone sitting down, because apparently he did this in college, and then the guy stood up, demonstrating to my krotty teacher why that was a bad idea. He said the guy left an imprint of his ring on his forehead. "Big people beat up little people" He said. The vast majority of us are in no danger of becoming too muscular. Everyone who has a modicum of experience knows that your strength works against you without technique and prevents you from learning proper technique. But once you have worked through that hurdle, it's strength all the way baby. Not to go all Kung Fu, but Yin and Yang?

7/02/2013 1:16pm,

Permalost

Hulking out on an opponent may be inefficient, but its a great way to let them know that you're stronger than them.

7/02/2013 1:44pm,

Phrost

You're not going to become a hulking monster by lifting heavy unless you're eating like a hulking monster; you'll just get stronger.

7/02/2013 1:54pm,

Magpie McGee

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phrost

You're not going to become a hulking monster by lifting heavy unless you're eating like a hulking monster; you'll just get stronger.

I'm trying, but my stomach can't hold all these oats.

7/02/2013 2:30pm,

Mister

Quote:

Originally Posted by crappler

there is absolutely a delicate balance between muscle size and speed. That is why MMA fighters look the way they do and don't look like Mr. Universe. My krotty teacher always used to tell a story about how you never hit someone sitting down, because apparently he did this in college, and then the guy stood up, demonstrating to my krotty teacher why that was a bad idea. He said the guy left an imprint of his ring on his forehead. "Big people beat up little people" He said. The vast majority of us are in no danger of becoming too muscular. Everyone who has a modicum of experience knows that your strength works against you without technique and prevents you from learning proper technique. But once you have worked through that hurdle, it's strength all the way baby. Not to go all Kung Fu, but Yin and Yang?

If you're spending all your time trying to look like Mr. Olympia. (which ain't easy at all like you said)

You're not actually fighting enough.

MMA fighters look like MMA fighters because they spend most of their time doing the important stuff (fighting specific training).

Bodybuilders look like bodybuilders because they spend most of their time doing their important stuff (hypertrophy specific training).

But regardless, the more muscle you can put on without compromising your fighting training (which is the most important aspect of fighting) the better.

The mass in and of itself won't get in your way in terms of speed, how you invest your time in your training will.